Multiple barrel electrical connector



March 3, 1964 M. c. LOGAN MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICALE CONNECTOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13, 1961 FIG.

FIG. 6

o; WA 6 0 4 c M ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 c, LOGAN 3,123,664

MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 13, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 M. c. LOGAN 3,123,554

MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 13, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. '6 FIG. l7

INVENTOR. W 5 A a 6 ATTOR N EY March 3, 1964 M. c. LOGAN 3 3,

MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 15, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Midas/1M ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 M. c. LOGAN 4 MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 13, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.

INVENTOR.

a mazaann/ ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 M. c. LOGAN MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 13. 1961 INVENTOR. 7. K. 4 06! A/ BY fioyw, v

ATTORNEY United States Patent MULTIPLE BARREL ELECTRICAL CQNNECTOR Maurus C. Logan, Elizabeth, N..I., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Kent Manufacturing Co., Eliza This invention relates to a multiple barrel connector for securing a plurality of wires or electronic components together electrically, in selectively serially severable relation. The invention is advantageous for many electrical uses, such as for mounting or connecting electrical components, and is especially valuable in numerous applications sensitive to heat, pressure and vibration. In heat sealing techniques, such as in the soldering of wires, heat and vibrations incident to the soldering operation may be directly transmitted to and damage the parts being connected. Where solder is used to eiiect initial fastening of leads to a soldering post or lug, there is at least one exposure of the parts to such heat and damage; on repair and replacement, a second heating is required to melt the solder so that the defective component may be removed; the remaining wired components are thus similarly exposed to damage. To fasten the replacement component it is customary to heat and solder for the third time. The components usually are thus subjected to three exposures to damage by heat and vibra tion in the replacement operation-greatly shortening their useful life and destroying their etficiency and reliability.

The connector of the present invention obviates the necessity for repeated soldering operations to repair or replace parts and enables such repair or replacement to be effected more rapidly and without the necessity for the special techniques, dexterity and attendant risks of soldering. The multiple barrel compression connector of this invention, applied without heat, assures high quality performance of the connectors in use, and enables electronic components or the like to be interconnected with resultant up-rating of the connection performance compared with the use of solder. Repair and replacement may be made with the compression connector of this invention without the use of solder, in a simple, economical, accurate and practical manner. Where repair or replacement of a part or wire held in a connector of the present invention becomes necessary the compressed section of the connector may be neatly and easily cut off and the defective component removed with an absolute minimum of disturbance of the remaining components. The replacement may be inserted into the connectors and readily compressed therein. Repair, alteration and replacement of parts and circuits may be effected pursuant to the invention without risk of damage to electronic components.

The connector embodying the construction of this invention utilizes a multiplicity of barrels so arranged that a finite number of employments of its intended purpose can be achieved as will become further apparent from the description below.

The arrangement of the plurality of barrels in the connector of this invention enables the accurate and simple cutting off of a damaged or repaired part or part to. be replaced, and effective reuse of the connector to hold the remaining parts-with or without the repair or replacement part.

The drawings, illustrating devices carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a connector em bodying the invention, taken at line 1-1 of FIGURE 3, shown in a supporting base, indicated fragmentarily,

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof, at the position of line 22 of FIG. 1, of a modified form of connector which does not have the medial axial rib 17 therealong,

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view, taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3a is a fragmentary elevational view of the assembly neck portion of a modified form of connector embodying the invention,

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view, taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIGURE 4a is a transverse sectional view, taken at line la-41: of FIG. 3,

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, corresponding with FIG. 1, but showing the free end barrel portion 15 of the connector compressed to hold the wires in the connector body, the dotted line 16 showing the point at which the said barrel portion 15 may be conveniently severed from the remainder of the body portion,

FIG. 5a is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5a5a of FIG. 5,

FIGURE 6 is a similar view, showing the next free end barrel portion 15a (after severing barrel portion 15) compressed to hold wires 12, 12a in the body portion, wire 12b (FIG. 5) having been removed on severing barrel 15a,

FIGURE 6a is a similar view, showing, however, original wires 12, 12a and a new wire (in the position which might be used for original wire 1212) held in the compressed barrel portion 15a of the body portion 10 of the connector,

FIGURE 7 is a similar view, showing the connector with all but one remaining barrel portion (15b) severed therefrom and that remaining one compressed to hold the plurality of wires in the connector body portion.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view, taken at line 8-3 of FIG. 9, of an assembly of connectors embodying the invention, mounted in predetermined spaced relation on a base for connection and assembly of electronic components (shown dotted below the base), relative to the base,

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view thereof, taken at line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of another form of connector embodying the invention,

FIGURE 11 is an end elevational view thereof, taken at line 1111 of FIG. 10-.

FIGURE 12 is a like view of a similar further form of connector embodying the invention,

FIGURE 12a is a fragmentary perspective view of another form thereof,

FIGURE 13 is an end elevational view, taken at line 1313 of FIG. 12.

FIGURE 14 is an clevational view of another form of connector, similar to the form shown in. FIGS. 10. and 12,

[FIGURE 15 is an elevational view, taken at line 15--1E' of FIG. 14,

FIGURE 16 is an elevational view of a further form of connector embodying the. invention, provided with a longitudinal slot intersecting the transverse slots and defining herewith axial opening 3,2v in the body portion,

FIGURE 17 is an end elevational view thereof, taken at line 1717 of FIG. 16,

FIGURE 18 is a top plan view thereof, taken at line 18-18 of FIG. 17,

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary elevational view of a. further form of such connector, taken at line 19-49 of FIG. 21,

FIGURE 20 is an end elevational view thereof, taken at line 20-20 of FIG. 19,

FIGURE 21 is a top plan view thereof, taken at line 2121 of FIG. 20,

FIGURE 22 is an elevational view of an assembly of connectors, such as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, on a baseboard 20 for holding a plurality of components 35 thereabove,

FIGURE 23 is a partly fragmentary perspective view, illustrating the FIG. 12 form of connector embodying the invention on a baseboard assembly,

FIGURE 24 is a fragmentary elevational View of a form of dielectric mounting for a connector of this invention ina non-dielectric baseboard,

FIGURE 25 is a vertical elevational, partly sectional view of a connector such as shown in FIG. 1, provided with a cover therefor,

FIGURE 26 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a baseboard with connectors embodying the invention for insertion into a receptacle for connection of components, held by the connectors of the invention, with tape conductors,

FIGURE 27 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof, taken at line 2727 of FIG. 26,

FIGURE 28 is a partly fragmentary, perspective view of a further form of connector embodying the invention, adapted to be mounted on a baseboard as shown in FIG. 32,

FIGURES 29, 30, 31 and 33 are perspective views of further forms of contact plates adapted for use in connection therewith, and

FIGURE 32 is a perspective view of-a FIG. 28 form of conductor mounted on a baseboard.

In the drawings (FIG. 1), a form of connector is shown embodying the invention and comprising an elongated Y body portion 10 having spaced parallel upper and lower faces 30, 31, defining a marginally connected, generally rectangular transverse cross section 111 axially (FIG. 2) of greater width than height for positioning therein of a plurality of wires 12, 12a, 12b in side by side relation as presently described, pursuant to the invention.

The body portion 10 is provided with a plurality of transverse slots 14, 14a and 14b formed in one face 30 thereof (FIG. 4a) in spaced parallel relation transversely to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, defining a plurality of rectangular barrels 15, 15a and 15b connected at the face 31 (FIG. 4a) of the body '10. The barrels may be of any number greater than one, such as two or more. The number shown in the drawings may be varied as desired or increased to a number of further barrels, as

indicated at 150 in FIG. 1. The transverse slots 14, 14a and 14b intermediate the barrels define weakened portions to facilitate cutting said connector along the slotted portions intermediate the barrels (as at 16, FIG. 5, 16a, FIG. 6, and as below more particularly described). The body portion may be provided with an axial rib 17 which extends from the face 31 of the body portion substantially continuously along said face (FIG. 3) at right angles (FIG. 4) to the transverse plane of said body portion and facilitates the serial compression of barrels and the clean severing of the free end barrel portions.

The body portion 10- is provided with a neck portion 18 extending from the end thereof opposite the free end -13 (FIG. 3). Said neck portion is provided with means, such as spaced protuberances 19, 21 (FIG. 1) one of which (119) may be preformed in the body portion in the initial manufacture thereof to serve as a stop on insertion of the neck portion 18 into the aperture 22 of the base 20 and the other 21 of which may be flared or may snap over the opposite face of said base 22 (FIG. 3). The neck 18 may be ribbed, serrated or roughened as indicated at 23 in FIG. 3a to eliminate the necessity for one or both of portions 19, 21 for holding the body portion 10 in the base 18; the connector may be cemented (as shown at 4 24 in FIG. 13) forcefitted or otherwise (FIG. 1) secured to base 20, in any desired or convenient manner.

The free ends of the plurality of lead or component Wires or other conductors 12, 12a, 12b to be connected are inserted into the connector body 10 to substantially the free end 13 thereof (after assembly of the connector on the baseboard or other support 20) and thenthe connector being formed of such readily compressible material as conductor metals and alloys and having the structural features above-mentionedthe terminal barrel, for example (FIG. 1) may be readily compressed by a hand tool or the like to flatten the same as shown in FIG. 5 and indicated at 15b in FIG. 7, to secure the terminals to the connector essentially homogeneously, without use of heat or solder, or other damaging or resistanceimposing procedures.

The connector may (FIGS. 11, 16 and 19) be formed with an axial longitudinal slot 32 defining an axial longitudinal opening at the face 3%} of the connector through which wires 12, 12a, etc. may be inserted and removed from a position at the top of base instead of beneath same as in FIG. 8. The various forms of the invention may be provided with lateral or other tabs 33 (FIGS. 13 and 15) to facilitate connection of other components or wires thereto and may be provided with means such as a probe, or test lug 34 (FIG. '15) to facilitate readily applying a testing instrument or rod thereto, and taking readings without disassembly or disrupting of the wires.

The wires 12, 12a, 12b (and the circuit wires) may be inserted into the connector through the lower face of the base 2i) (FIGS. 5, 6, 6a) for example, and the barrel 15 at the free end 13 of the connector compressed by any suitable hand or other tools, thereby (FIG. 5a) essentially utilizing that particular barrel as the holding or compression barrel. If it is desired to remove or replace one or more wires, it is merely necessary to cut the connector along the line 16 of a slot 14 intermediate the barrels, thus severing the free end or holding barrel 15, whereupon insertion of a new wire or removal of a wire or wires may occur and then the next barrel (15a) defining the free end 13 of the connector is compressed as in FIG. 6, to once again hold the wires in place in the connector. It will be noted from FIG. 6 that by this means a wire may be readily and accurately removed from the connector and if desired, FIG. 6a, a new wire may be secured thereto. The remaining wire or wires are connected by the barrel 15a at the free end 13 of the connector, after which, when desired, the operation may be repeated (line 16a) severing the said barrel 15:: from the connector and enabling the next barrel 15b at the free end of the connector to be compressed as at FIG. 7; thus the operation may be repeated. Essentially the same procedure would be used in the case of the con nectors shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 wherein, however, slots 14, 14a and 14b may be of any desired widthfor example, relatively narrow as in FIG. 16 or relatively wide as in FIG. 19.

As above noted, the wires 12, 12a, 12!) (FIG. 5 for example) to be connected by the device of the invention may enter said device from a position beneath the board 20, for connection of electrical components such as 35 (FIG. 8) which may be thus disposed between and connected to a pair of connector body portions 10 (FIG. 8). The unit 35 carried by one of the wires at 12, 12a, 12b, may be readily removed by severing the end barrel of the connector as at line 16 (FIG. 5) and a new unit inserted and the wire such as 12c (FIG. 6a) for said new unit inserted in place of the removed wire such as 12b and then the free end barrel portion of the connector (15a) compressed to once again hold all of the wires between the connector as shown at FIG. 8.

The connector body 10 of this invention thus may be used for securing electrical components such as 35 (FIG. 8) between a pair of connector bodies of the invention (to which the circuit wires may be also secured, in like fashion). Said connectors may thus be arranged on the base member 20 which may be a chassis, panel or separately formed base as in FIG. 8, in spaced parallel relation in any pattern desired in accordance the use with the invention is put. FIGS. and 11 show a form of the invention having the axial longitudinal slot 32 formed in the connector body to facilitate insertion of the wires in the connector body either from a position at the top of the base (FIG. 16) or therebelow (FIG. 8). The barrel portions of connector body 10 are shown in FIG. 10 formed in a plane at an angle to the neck portion 18.

The connector bodies 10 may be secured directly to a base member 20 as above described, or indirectly through a bracket such as 36 in FIG. 12a. Said bracket may have a neck portion 37 to be force-fitted or otherwise secured in the aperture 22 (FIG. 3) of the base 20 and may have a tubular apertured portion 38 to receive the neck portion 18 of the connector 10 therein and thus hold said connector onto the base.

In the form shown in FIG. 22, the connector bodies 10 secure the electrical components 35 intermediate the same above the base 20. The latter, in the various forms of the invention, may be a mounting board, panel, chassis or surface of any desired or convenient configuration; if made of electrically conducting material as in FIG. 24, an insulating grommet 39 may be mounted in the aperture 22 of said base to receive and thus dielectrically mount neck 18 of the connector body in the base 20 and insulate the same therefrom. As shown in FIG. 25, connector body 10 may be provided with a dielectric or other cover such as shown at 40.

In the form shown in FIG. 26 the barrels 15 at the free ends of the connector body portion 10 are compressed on the wires 12 to thus dispose the electrical components 35 intermediate a pair of connector bodies 10. In this form of the invention, one set of connector bodies is shown as mounted on wiping contact member 42 (see also FIG. 28) frictionally or otherwise secured along one edge 43 of the base 24 for insertion into a contact socket 44 for making contact therein with the exposed printed circuit 45 or tape conductor ribbons of flexible conductors 46. To that end the contact socket 44 may (FIG. 27) have a holder 47 therein around which the flexible tape 46 is positioned in female socket form (being threaded through the bracket 44) so that the wiping contacts 42 of the base 20 may have contact with the ribbon or printed circuit 45 on insertion of the base 20 in the contact socket 44. The wiping contact 42 may (FIG. 28) comprise a pair of arm members 50, 51 to straddle edge 43 of the base 20 and may be provided with a struck up portion 52 for connecting other wires temporarily or otherwise with the wiping contact 42. Contact member 42 may (FIG. 29) have pairs of apertured cars 53, 54 (FIGS. 29, 31) to connect a pair of body portions It! therewith and allow the wires to pass therethrough or a single set of cars 55 (FIGS. 28) and may be slotted as shown at 56, 56a (FIGS. 31 and 33).

The protuberance 19 (FIG. 5) of the connector body portion may be formed flat as shown at 57 (FIG. 23) and may (as noted in the broken portions of said figure) be of larger diameter than the aperture 22 of the base member 20. The barrel portions 15 at the free ends of the body portions 10 in FIG. 23 are shown flattened for holding the wires therein and thus holding the components 35 between aligned or non-aligned pairs of body members as indicated in said figure.

From the foregoing it will be noted that this invention thus provides a sectional barrel wire-to-wire conductor adapted for multiple use for assembly and interconnection of electrical Wires and components without use of soldering or other extraneous techniques or means and in a simple, rapid and completely accurate and reliable fashion.

It will be noted that the connector body is thus formed with a plurality of rectangular barrels arranged in mul- 6 tiple pattern, permitting juxtapositioning and side by side compression of wires of varying diameters.

It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 511 that the wires 12, 12a, 12b may be conveniently arranged in the rectangular opening 25 (FIG. 4) of the connector body portion 10 in such side by side relationship that wires of varying diameter may be readily accommodated thereby; on compression of the end barrel 15 said wires will (FIG. 501) be essentially integrally united in side by side relation without bunchingup or Wedging, notwithstanding differences in diameters of the wires.

It will be further noted that the connector body of this invention is provided with an axial rib 17 interconnecting the rectangular barrels 15, 15a and 15b for example (FIGS. 3, 11, 18) in line with or at various angles to the connector neck portion 18 and assuring axial structural strength of the device notwithstanding the transverse slots 14, 14a, 14b, defining the individual barrels, and facilitating serial severing of selected barrels as at 16 (FIG. 5) neatly and without distortion of the connector. The free lengths of the wires connected pursuant to the invention may protrude completely through the barrels (FIGS. 12 and 14) eliminating the need for prior predetermining of wire lengths.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A connector for electrically interconnecting a plurality of bare current carrying conductors comprising an elongated body formed of readily compressible electrically conductive material having upper and lower opposed flat faces disposed in spaced parallel relation and connected at their marginal edges by portions shorter than said faces, defining an essentially rectangular area between said faces, said body being provided with a plurality of transverse slots formed in one face thereof in spaced parallel relation to divide said body portion into a plurality of stacked barrels each connected at the margins and at the opposite face of the body, said conductors passing from one end of said body within the rectangular area through each of said barrels, said barrel farthest removed from said one end being compressed tightly against said conductors, said barrels being severable along the slotted portion of said body, whereby said compressed barrel can be severed, selected conductors removed, and the next barrel compressed about the remaining conductors.

2. In a connector as set forth in claim 1, a rib formed axially along the face of the body opposite the slotted face thereof.

3. In a connector as set forth in claim 2, said rib extending from said face substantially at right angles to the transverse plane of said body.

4. In a connector as set forth in claim 1, a neck portion formed at one end of said connector body for insertion into an apertured base to secure the connector thereto and a protuberance on the body for engagement with the base to limit insertion of the neck portion into said apertured base.

5. In a multiple barrel compressible connector as set forth in claim 1, an elongated neck portion formed on said body at the other end thereof.

6. In a multiple barrel compressible connector as set forth in claim 5, a stop portion of greater cross sectional dimensions than the said neck portion at one end of said neck portion.

7. In a connector as set forth in claim 1, said parallel slots being formed in said connector at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the connector, and an axial longitudinal slot formed in the face of the connector where the plurality of parallel slots are formed and opening into said plurality of slots.

8. In a connector as set forth in claim 1, said connector body having spaced parallel faces, a rib formed axially along the opposite face of the connector and extending therefrom, and an axial longitudinal slot formed 7 in the face of said connector having the spaced parallel slots and opening into said parallel slots.

9. A connector for connecting a plurality of wire terminals in electrically connected relation while enabling any of the so-connected terminals to be serially and readily separated from the others for reuse of the connector, comprising an elongated body formed of readily compressible material and having upper and lower flat faces disposed in spaced parallel relation and connected at their marginal ends, said body having a plurality of transverse 1 barrels, said barrel farthest removed from said one end 15 being compressed tightly against said terminals, said barrels being severable along the slotted portion of the body, whereby said compressed barrel Cill'l be severed, selected terminals removed, and the next barrel compressed to hold the remaining wire terminals in the body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,340 McIntosh Dec. 27, 1927' 2,463,826 Thacker May 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 239,345 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1925 809,827 Germany Aug. 2, 1951 

9. A CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING A PLURALITY OF WIRE TERMINALS IN ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED RELATION WHILE ENABLING ANY OF THE SO-CONNECTED TERMINALS TO BE SERIALLY AND READILY SEPARATED FROM THE OTHERS FOR REUSE OF THE CONNECTOR, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY FORMED OF READILY COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER FLAT FACES DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AND CONNECTED AT THEIR MARGINAL ENDS, SAID BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS FORMED IN ONE FACE THEREOF DIVIDING SAID BODY INTO A PLURALITY OF BARRELS CONNECTED AT THE MARGINS AND AT THE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE BODY, SAID WIRE TERMINALS PASSING FROM ONE END OF SAID BODY THROUGH EACH OF SAID BARRELS, SAID BARREL FARTHEST REMOVED FROM SAID ONE END BEING COMPRESSED TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID TERMINALS, SAID BARRELS BEING SEVERABLE ALONG THE SLOTTED PORTION OF THE BODY, WHEREBY SAID COMPRESSED BARREL CAN BE SEVERED, SELECTED TERMINALS REMOVED, AND THE NEXT BARREL COMPRESSED TO HOLD THE REMAINING WIRE TERMINALS IN THE BODY. 